Kolkata: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has given clubs greater freedom in running Indian Super League (ISL) by removing the need for its affirmative vote in okaying commercial activities. It has also provided for a dispute resolution mechanism, approved the appointment of a league commissioner and put guardrails in the dissolution of the governing council and management committee, the two bodies entrusted with running India’s top men’s league.
These were incorporated in the charter regulations after feedback from ISL clubs and shared with them on Tuesday.
The key amendments were AIFF removing commercial activities by a club, promotion and marketing and ticketing from ISL rules, which now include only logistical and football related matters, and its right to two affirmative votes to approve all decisions of the governing council.
As per the amended charter, only matters pertaining to allocation under the Restricted Funds will need two affirmative votes from AIFF. Capped at 30% of ISL’s budget, this fund will cover parachute payments, youth leagues, match officials’ payments, administration cost and legal matters. The rest of ISL’s budget will cover “production, broadcast, marketing, digital, prize money and other commercial matters,” as per the charter which HT has seen.
Decisions on matters such as “deviation” of over 10% from approved budget or the “redistribution of revenue” can be taken without AIFF’s affirmative votes, the charter says. While the format for revenue sharing will need a 75% or super majority of the members present and voting, an increase in expenditure can be approved by simple majority. Earlier, AIFF’s okay was mandatory for both.
The composition of the governing council, which will have owners of all 14 clubs, remains the same at 22 but the council will meet four times every year, including once three months before the start of the season. It was once a year in the earlier version.
By provisioning for a league commissioner and authorising AIFF’s executive committee or the president to nominate three members, the composition of the management committee, responsible for day-to-day running of the league, has changed. In the charter shared last Tuesday, the management committee had the secretary-general and heads of competitions and strategy of AIFF.
If a commissioner is appointed, the committee will have 12 instead of 11 members, including three nominated by clubs and two representatives from teams that finished first and second in the regular season. Those slots will be taken by Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa for 2025-26.
From having a vote on everything, the rights partners in the governance bodies will now have votes only on “aspects covered within scope of its association with ISL”. Other changes include a problem solving mechanism whereby a dispute in the management committee can be taken to the council and one in the council to the AIFF executive committee.
Unlike in the first draft, it has been clarified that changes to the charter can be done through a super majority of the council members present and voting so long as it is in accordance with AIFF constitution.
While AIFF retains sporting and regulatory authority and will head both bodies, its executive committee can only dissolve them “upon a determination that they have become inoperable or their continuation would be prejudicial to the interests” of ISL.
